Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Deksambupurple’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Deksambupurple’, characterized by its single-type inflorescences with oblong to elliptic-shaped, red purple-colored ray florets; strong and upright flowering stems; freely flowering habit; early and uniform flowering response; plants flower about 40 days after the start of photoinductive treatments; and good postproduction longevity; plants maintain good substance for about 23 day in an interior environment.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Deksambupurple’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Deksambupurple’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new single-type Chrysanthemum cultivars with unique ray floret coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on Feb. 28, 2005 of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 02.6362.05, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 03.7938.02, not patented. The cultivar new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on Oct. 12, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since Nov. 1, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Deksambupurple have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Deksambupurple’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Deksambupurple’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum:

-   -   1. Single-type inflorescences with oblong to elliptic-shaped,         red purple-colored ray florets.     -   2. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Early and uniform flowering response; plants flower about 40         days after the start of photoinductive treatments.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity; plants maintain good substance         for about 23 days in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller leaves, thinner         stems and smaller inflorescences than plants of the female         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent         selection differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the         female parent selection have white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller inflorescences         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the male parent         selection have white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Dektanga Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,903. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Dektanga Pink in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more freely branching         than plants of the cultivar Dektanga Pink.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered earlier than plants         of the cultivar Dektanga Pink.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum had more         ray florets than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar         Dektanga Pink.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Dektanga         Pink differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar         Dektanga Pink had light purple-colored ray florets.     -   5. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had longer peduncles than         plants of the cultivar Dektanga Pink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately described the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Deksambupurple’ grown as a spray type.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Deksambupurple’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about seven kilolux. Plants were about eight weeks from planting when the photographs and the description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar     Deksambupurple. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             02.6362.05, not patented. -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of     Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 03.7938.02, not     patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About six to seven days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young planted.—About 13 to 15 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description/habit.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color;             freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance/growth habit.—Herbaceous single-type cut flower             that is typically grown as a spray-type. Moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Length: About             65 cm. Spray diameter: About 10 cm to 15 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Number of lateral branches: About eight to ten.             Internode length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Texture: Pubescent;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 4.5 cm to 9.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to 4.5 cm. Apex:             Cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed; sinuses             divergent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent,             slightly rough; veins prominent on lower surface. Color:             Developing foliage, upper surface: Darker than 137A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 146A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, 147B. Petiole: Length: about 5 mm to             15 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm to 3 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Slightly rough. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single-type inflorescence form with oblong to             elliptic-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals, arising from leaf axils. Ray and disc florets             develop acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences slightly             fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early and uniform flowering             response; plants exposed to two weeks of long day/short             night conditions after planting followed by photoinductive             short day/long night conditions flower about 40 days later             when grown as a spray-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,             inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and             substance for about 23 days.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—When grown as a spray type,             freely flowering habit, about four to nine inflorescences             per flowering stem develop.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Depth             (height): About 1.2 cm. Disc diameter: About 8 mm to 10 mm.             Receptacle height: About 5 mm. Receptacle diameter: About             4 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 145B.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Oblate. Height: About 2 mm to             3 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm to 7 mm. Color: Between 143B and             137C.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 1.1 cm to 1.3 cm. Width: About 4             mm to 5 mm. Shape: Oblong to elliptic. Angle: Initially             upright to about 45° to 60° from vertical. Apex: Tridentate.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number of ray florets             per inflorescence: About 25 arranged in about to two whorls.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 72A. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 70B. Fully opened, upper             surface: Between 72A and 64A; color becoming closer to 72B             with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 70B;             color becoming closer to 77C with development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, elongated. Apex: Acute.             Length: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm to 1 mm.             Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 150. Color:             Immature: Apex: Close to 3B. Mid-section and base: Close to             145C to 145D. Mature: Apex: Close to 5B. Mid-section and             base: Close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Width: About             3 mm to 4 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Rounded to             truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Number of involucral bracts per             inflorescence: About 20 arranged in about two whorls. Color,             upper surface: Close to 143A. Color, lower surface: Close to             137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length, first peduncle: About 5 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 7 cm to 8 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm             to 2 mm. Angle: About 30° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong to strong. Texture: Pubescent:             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Present on both ray and disc florets. Style length: About             4 mm. Style color: Close to 154D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Deksambupurple’ as illustrated and described. 